Ikura of J-Pop Band YOASOBI Performs Live

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – "Ikura of J-Pop Band YOASOBI Performs Live"

Episode Overview All Of It, hosted by Alison Stewart on WNYC, delves into contemporary culture by engaging with creators and influencers. In the March 19, 2025 episode titled "Ikura of J-Pop Band YOASOBI Performs Live," Stewart interviews Ikura, the vocalist of the acclaimed J-Pop duo YOASOBI. The episode offers an intimate look into YOASOBI’s creative process, their rise to international fame, and Ikura’s personal artistic endeavors. The conversation is facilitated through a translator, Miyoki Watanabe, allowing Ikura to share her insights in Japanese with simultaneous English translation.

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Introduction to YOASOBI and Ikura

Alison Stewart opens the episode by highlighting YOASOBI's monumental success in the J-Pop scene. The duo has not only dominated Billboard Japan's Hot 100 charts but also achieved a milestone with the first Japanese-language song to top Billboard's global charts. YOASOBI's global presence includes performances at renowned festivals like Lollapalooza and Coachella, and a sold-out show at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

Notable Quote:

"YOASOBI has broken records on Billboard Japan's Hot 100 charts and claimed the first Japanese language song to top Billboard's global charts." — Alison Stewart [00:46]

The Creative Genesis of YOASOBI

The conversation begins with the release and success of YOASOBI's first single, "Into the Night," which unexpectedly soared to number one in Japan. Ikura reflects on this surreal achievement, expressing her astonishment at the sudden fame.

Notable Quote:

"We didn’t expect the first song to be such a big hit. It felt so unreal." — Ikura [07:44]

Stewart inquires about the formation of YOASOBI, revealing that the duo originated from a Sony Music project aimed at transforming novels into music. This unique concept brought together Ayase, the composer, and Ikura, the vocalist, establishing the foundation of YOASOBI.

Notable Quote:

"The manager came up with the idea of turning novels into music, and that’s how we met." — Ikura [08:12]

Collaboration Dynamics Between Ayase and Ikura

The episode delves into the collaborative process between Ayase and Ikura. Ayase begins by reading the original story and crafting the music and lyrics, which he then presents to Ikura. Ikura’s role involves infusing her interpretations and emotions into the song, ensuring that the music resonates with the narrative.

Notable Quote:

"Ayase reads the story and then creates the music and lyrics, and I put my feelings into the song. We work together from that point." — Ikura [08:45]

Ikura’s Artistic Contributions

Ikura elaborates on her creative input, emphasizing her deep engagement with the original stories and her ability to convey the emotions of the characters through her vocal performances. Her interpretation bridges the gap between the written narrative and the musical composition, adding depth and authenticity to YOASOBI’s music.

Notable Quote:

"I read the original stories and immerse myself in the feelings and world of the characters, then bring that into the song." — Ikura [09:15]

Balancing Solo and Group Projects

The discussion shifts to Ikura’s solo endeavors alongside her work with YOASOBI. She highlights the distinction between the two, noting that her solo album is a personal exploration based on her own experiences, whereas YOASOBI’s work is rooted in the narratives of the original stories. This balance allows her to express both her individuality and her collaborative creativity.

Notable Quote:

"For my solo album, it’s my personal experiences at the core, whereas with YOASOBI, I channel the personalities of the main characters from the stories." — Ikura [10:00]

Acoustic Performance Insights

Ikura performs an acoustic version of YOASOBI’s song "Into the Night," providing listeners with a raw and intimate rendition. She discusses the differences between studio recordings and live performances, explaining that live settings allow her to incorporate more spontaneous emotions and audience interactions.

Notable Quote:

"In acoustic and live settings, I incorporate more of my feelings and the audience's reactions." — Ikura [16:36]

Recording in Japanese vs. English

The episode explores YOASOBI’s foray into recording songs in English. Ikura explains the challenges and nuances of translating lyrics while maintaining the original's essence and mood. She appreciates the translator’s efforts in capturing both the worldview and the phonetic qualities of the Japanese lyrics, though she notes that the English versions often feel faster and more uptempo due to pronunciation differences.

Notable Quote:

"English versions feel so much faster and more uptempo because of the fundamental differences in pronunciation." — Ikura [17:12]

Ikura’s Musical Background and Influences

Ikura shares her early exposure to music, influenced by her father, an acoustic guitarist, and her experiences living in Chicago. Her fascination with music was further fueled by Disney Channel shows like High School Musical and the works of American artists, with Taylor Swift being a significant influence.

Notable Quote:

"I was always surrounded by music. My father played the guitar, and I got hooked on music through Disney Channel shows and artists like Taylor Swift." — Ikura [18:47]

Cultural Differences in Audiences

Discussing her international performances, Ikura contrasts American and Japanese audiences. She observes that American audiences are more expressive and interactive, often dancing and singing along enthusiastically during performances, which adds a dynamic element to her stage experience.

Notable Quote:

"American audiences are very expressive, dancing to the music and singing along, which is great to see from the stage." — Ikura [19:39]

Final Performance and Conclusion

The episode concludes with Ikura performing another song, showcasing her versatility and the acoustic charm of YOASOBI’s music. Stewart thanks Ikura and the translator, Miyoki Watanabe, for their participation, and wraps up the episode by highlighting the collaborative spirit that fuels YOASOBI’s success.

Notable Quote:

"That was Ikura of the J-Pop duo YOASOBI performing 'Blue'. Our translator was Miyoki Watanabe." — Alison Stewart [25:09]

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Closing Remarks This episode of All Of It offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of YOASOBI’s artistry through the lens of Ikura. Listeners gain valuable insights into the duo’s creative process, the balance between solo and collaborative projects, and the cultural exchange inherent in their international success. Through thoughtful questions and heartfelt responses, Alison Stewart and Ikura paint a vivid picture of what makes YOASOBI a standout force in contemporary music.

Transcript

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[Ikura]

Listener supported WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. The duo Yoasobi are J Pop superstars. They've broken records on Billboard Japan's Hot 100 charts and they've claimed the first Japanese language song to top Billboard's global charts. Here's that song titled Idol. In the US the duo has played at Lollapalooza and Coachella, and in New York last year they filled Radio City Music Hall. Ikura is the duo's vocalist and she joined me in the WNYC studios for a rare acoustic performance of some of the group's songs. The interview will sound a little different than what you usually hear on this show because we conducted it through a translator named Miyoki Watanabe. So throughout the interview, you'll hear me ask Ikura a question, which Miyoki translated for Ikura. Then you'll hear Ikura begin to answer in Japanese with Miyoke's translation layered on top. So let's kick things off with some music. Here's Ikura of Yasobe performing their hit song into the Night.

[Miyoki Watanabe]

SA.

[Interviewer]

That song into the Night was your first single you released in 2019. It went to number one in Japan. What do you remember about that moment when it became a hit?

[Ikura]

So we are unit. Yoasobi, the composer is Ayase and I'm the song singer Ikura. And we didn't expect the first song to be that, you know, make a big hit. So I didn't really feel unreal. I mean, you felt so unreal.

[Interviewer]

Surreal. How did you and Dayasi meet? He was a solo artist first. How did you all get together?

[Ikura]

So we Yoasubi is a started from the project at Sony Music. The manager came up with the idea of turning novels into music and then they started looking for a composer, the singer, songwriter, and that's how we met.

[Interviewer]

So in Yasobe, Ayase is the composer and the production side of things and you are the beautiful vocalist. How does that work between the two of you? Does he bring you a song? Do you perform it then or how does it work musically?

[Ikura]

So like I said, Yasubi of course has to have the novel, the Story first. So Ayase reads the story and then creates the music lyrics and then brings the song to Ikura, and Ikura put music to it and they work together from that point.

[Interviewer]

Ikura, what do you bring to the project of yourself? What do you put into the songs? Once he's already developed what the song is, what do you bring to it?

[Ikura]

So my creative contribution to this band is that of course, I read the original stories, the novels really so much, and get into the feelings and the world of the stories and the characters. And then whatever I feel, I bring it to the song and I just put it all together. With Ayasos.

[Interviewer]

I'm speaking to Ikura of.

[Alison Stewart]

The J Pop duo Yasobi.

[Interviewer]

She's here with me in studio performing live. She's also speaking through a translator, Miyoki. Thank you.

[Alison Stewart]

About their global success, you also put.

[Interviewer]

Out a solo album in 2023. How do you find the time to bal balance working on your solo work and your work with Yoasobi?

[Ikura]

So like I say, Yasobi always has the origin original story that, you know, that we base the songs music from. But for Ikura, you know, my own solo album, it's me, it's my world, it's my, you know, personal experiences that is a core of my music. So that's the biggest difference. And also for Yosubi, I tend to channel whatever the personality of the main characters from this story. But for my own personal project, I can be myself.

[Interviewer]

What's the song we're going to hear next? All right, let's hear it.

[Miyoki Watanabe]

Next song is Tapam La It.

[Alison Stewart]

Ikira.

[Interviewer]

What we're hearing is so much different than what's on the album. There's a lot more production on the album. This is more acoustic. It's more sort of comforting, just us.

[Alison Stewart]

Sitting in the studio hearing that. How does it feel to change the.

[Interviewer]

Way you perform a song versus what it's on the album versus what we're hearing?

[Ikura]

So when I record the album, it's more like, like I said earlier, trying to be true to the imagery of the stories, the original story. But at the acoustic and also at the concerts, I'm always trying to incorporate more live elements, like my feelings, my emotions at that moment, or the reaction from the audience. That's the biggest difference.

[Interviewer]

You've recorded some of these songs in English. Does the song feel different when you sing it in Japanese as when you can sing it in English?

[Ikura]

So there's a translator, Koni, and he translates English lyrics. I mean, I'm Sorry, Japanese lyrics into English, but always tries to capture the worldview of the original song, of course, and also even the sound of it. He's really good at finding the words that might sound like the original Japanese lyrics. And then that's what's great about working with Connie. But when I sing in English, the pronunciation and also, you know, I'm not a fluent speaker, so, you know, the people always give me great direction. Connie gives me direction about the pronunciation also. But because of the fundamental differences in the. In the pronunciation between English and Japanese, that the nuance and also the mood of the music really differs. So that's what's really interesting to me. English version feels so much faster and like more uptempo.

[Interviewer]

Ikor, your parents lived in Chicago for a little bit. Is that true?

[Ikura]

Up to when I was three years old.

[Interviewer]

What brought your family here?

[Ikura]

My father was expat in Chicago.

[Interviewer]

When did music enter your childhood? When did you become sort of fascinated with music?

[Ikura]

So I was always surrounded by music. My father is also acoustic guitarist and he would play the music while he plays the guitar. And then she became very into music because of the family influence. Also when I was living in Chicago, I got hooked with Disney tv, her Disney Channel. And also after I came back to Japan also she was watching a lot of High School Musical and then got to learn a lot of American artists through those Disney Channel. High School Musical. And number one artist that she got influenced by American artists is Taylor Swift.

[Interviewer]

You filled Radio City Music Hall. You played Coachella and Lollapalooza. Are American audiences different from Japanese audiences?

[Ikura]

So American audience is definitely that. You know that they're having fun, dancing to the music and sing along and very expressive. And then it's great to see them from the stage.

[Interviewer]

You're going to play one more song for us. Tell us what you're going to play.

[Alison Stewart]

That was Ikura of the J pop duo Yaasobe performing the song Blue. Our translator was Miyoki Iwantanabe. Ena Suzuki was on piano. And that is all of it for today.

[Interviewer]

We'll see you back here tomorrow.

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